The Everest Base Camp Trek is more than a hike, it’s an epic journey through the majestic Himalayas in Nepal.
Find out why I decided to embark on this journey, what it was like, what I learned, and how YOU can take the same trip.
Why Go? Adventure of a Lifetime
Epic. That was my word for the year when January 1st, 2014 came rolling around. I wanted to have an epic year. I wasn’t exactly sure what that meant, but it sounded like adventure would be had, and I needed one badly. Since I crave adventure like most people crave chocolate, I was on the lookout for my next “fix.” This was the first year I hadn’t set specific goals. Instead, I went with a single word that I wanted to focus on for the year, which is how I got “epic.”
Two weeks later I received an email from TheClymb.com who offers not only discount outdoor gear but also works with trusted third-party companies to offer discounted adventure travel experiences. That email advertised a 16-day trek to Everest Base Camp with a local Nepal company called Ace the Himalaya for around $1,800 which included food, accommodation, a guide, a porter, and a sightseeing tour of Kathmandu Valley.
That trip seemed to jump off the page and scream, EPIC. Before this email, I had no idea that you could even go to Everest Base Camp if you weren’t planning to summit the highest mountain on earth. How did I not know this was a thing?
Summiting Everest has never been on my bucket list. If it’s on yours, more power to you. Way to go! For me…I like an adventure, but my sights are set a notch or two lower. So when I saw that the risk of dying was significantly lower and the price tag did NOT start at $60,000 minimum, I was immediately interested. Like this was a thing that people did. It was something that my cubicle dwelling self could do. I mean…I’d seriously have to get my saggy butt in shape, but this trip would be worth training for. My motto for working out is, if it doesn’t put the FEAR of God into me that I might die if I don’t exercise, then I’m not going to do it. Fear is an incredible motivator I’ve found, and this trip would definitely do the trick.
Since I tend to be a special sort of crazy and not many of my friends tend to crave adventure like I do, this was a trip I was doing solo. I decided to go with a guiding company since I would be able to meet up with like-minded adventure cravers and it would make a lot of the logistics a lot easier. They would pick me up from the airport, I’d be in their care the entire time, and they’d make sure I’d make it back to the airport to catch my flight back home. It made my parents worry a lot less that way.
Long story short, I made a few calls to get some questions answered and then decided that this would effectively make my year an epic one. I put my deposit down and booked the trip for September that year. I would spend the rest of the year prepping for the adventure by training, getting the gear I’d need, and saving up the rest of the money for the trip, the airfare, and time off work.
Nepal: Good to Know Info
- Language: Nepali, but many speak English.
- Currency: Nepalese Rupee - 1 USD is 102 NPR
- Time Zone: UTC+5:45
- Cultural Sensitivities: Women should avoid wearing tight clothing, especially tights.
- When to Go: September to November is the main trekking season, but you can go year round.
- Trip Duration: Treks usually last 9 to 13 days and a few extra days at the beginning and end of your trip is wise.
- Safety: Safe for solo women travelers, but never trek alone and trek with a reputable guiding company. Stay on established routes and be smart with your belongings.
Everest Base Camp 16-day Trek Trip Itinerary
- Day 1 - Arrive in Kathmandu
- Day 2 - Sightsee around the Kathmandu Valley
- Day 3 - Fly to Lukla (2,804 meters) and Trek to Phakding (2,610 meters) - Trek 3 hours
- Day 4 - Trek to Namche Bazaar (3,441 meters) - Trek 5.5 hours
- Day 5 - Namche Bazaar Acclimatization Day
- Day 6 - Trek to Tengboche (3,860 meters) - Trek 5 hours
- Day 7 - Trek to Dingboche (4,350 meters) - Trek 5 hours
- Day 8 - Acclimatization Hike to Nangkartshang Peak (5,083 meters) - Trek 4 hours
- Day 9 - Trek to Lobuche (4,910 meters) - Trek 5 hours
- Day 10 - Trek to Everest Base Camp (5,365 m) and then Back to Gorak Shep (5,180 meters) - Trek 8 hours
- Day 11 - Morning hike up to Kala Patthar (5,555 meters) & descend to Periche (4,200 meters) - Trek 7 hours
- Day 12 - Trek to Namche Bazaar (3,441 m) - Trek 7 hours
- Day 13 - Trek to Lukla (2,804 m) - Trek 6 hours
- Day 14 - Morning flight from Lukla to Kathmandu
- Day 15 - Leisure Day and Farewell Dinner in Kathmandu
- Day 16 - Transfer to the International Airport for Departure
View this exact trip on Ace the Himalaya‘s website to get additional details.
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Quick Facts about Everest Base Camp & the Trek
- Everest Base Camp can be found in Nepal and in Tibet . You hike to the one in Nepal and you drive to the one in Tibet.
- Everest Base Camp elevation is 17,598 feet (5,364 meters) - that means you’ve got half the amount of oxygen they have at sea level.
- Mt Everest stands at a height of 29,029 feet/ 8848 meters and is the tallest mountain in the world.
- The hike/trek to Everest Base camp is 46 miles/74 kilometers.
- Getting to Everest Base Camp doesn’t require mountaineering equipment or oxygen. It’s a long, slow hike/trek on a mountain trail.
- It takes 6 to 9 days to hike to Everest Base Camp depending on how many rest days/acclimatization you take.
- Altitude sickness is a real threat and is why you only trek a few miles each day. Your body needs time to adjust to the thinning air.
- The main Trekking season is from September to November.
- Summit season is from March to May, but you can trek all year round.
- You can stay in cozy tea houses all along the trail.
- You'll see Yaks and cow/yak hybrids all along the trail.
- You'll cross 6 suspension bridges on your way to Everest Base Camp.
- Lukla airport, which is where you start the trek, is one of the most dangerous/awesome airports in the world.